Railway electric signal apparatus



(No Model.)

O. GASSETT. RAILWAY ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPARATUS.

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Ny FEYERS, Pmm-Limagnphm. wnshingmn. D. C.

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UNITED STATES PATENT vOEEICE.

OSCAR GASSETT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGrNOIt- TO'THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBUItG, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY ELECTRIC SIGNAL APPARATUS.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,978, dated November 21, 1882.

Application filed January 3, 1882. (No model.) f

To all whom it may concern:

Be i-t known that I, OSCAR GAssETT, of Bos. ton, county'of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts. temporarily residing at Sewickley, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement'in Railway Electric Signal Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference' being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specilication, in whicb-like letters ,indicating like parts- Figure 1 shows an electrical apparatus in connection with a diagrammatic view of a railway-track, forming a part thereof, and the whole being illustrative of my present inven- Figs. 2 and 3 are detached views of a portion of Vthe apparatus ot' Fig. 1, showing different portions of the armatures and locks at different steps of the operations involved; and Figs. 4t and 5 are detached views, to an enlarged scale, of the upper ends of thc arma- V ture-locks, illustrative of their action, and also of the circuit-contacts formed thereby.

My present invention relates more especially to an automatic system of electric signaling for singletrack roads. Such asingle track is represen ted at zz' z2 23. So much or such parts as are to be protected by signals are divided into blocks ot' any desired length by means of insulating material inserted between the rail ends, as at x m, in any of the ways known to the art,`and a likeinsulation is made, as at say, at-or near the middle of the block, so as to divide each block into two sections, R R'.

I have not deemed it necessary to show the signals, nor the mechanismemployed between them and their actuating electro-magnets, since such mechanism of various forms and constructions is already well known; but whatever signal be employed one is suitably arranged at or near each end of the block in such manner as to be actuated or shifted by the making and breaking of a circuit through electro-magnets B and B' at or near opposite ends ot' the block. Each line of rails between insulated points has the usual electrical connections 'from rail end to rail en d.

Batteries c a3 are arranged one at or near each outer end of the block, and their oppo- 5o site poles are connected electrically with the opposite rail-lines of the sections by wires 1 2 and 21 25, as shown. tro-magnet B connect at one end by wirer with battery a', and thence by wire 1.3 with the 5 5 line of rails z2. The other end of thel coil leads by line-wire 8 to binding-post s4. The coil of electro-magnet B' connects at one end by wire 14 with battery a2, and through it by wire 30 with rail-line z, and at its other end by wire 15 6o with binding-post s?. The rail-lines are connected at or near the middle of the block, the one z2 by wire 12 with binding-post s',:. another, z3, by wire 22 with binding-post s', another, z, by wire 3-with binding-post S7, and the fourth, 65

vz', by wire 4 with binding-post s6.

At any suitableconvenient pointsay about the middle of the block- I arrange an electrical apparatus having three electro-magnets, A, A3, and D. The electro-magnets A A3 have 7e armature-levers A' A2, respectively, each pivoted at one end to an insulated base, and swinging at the opposite end within a limited range, which, with A', is fixed by adjustable stops c e, and with A2 by like adjustable stops, 75 c'c, such stops being supported by or from fixed posts d d. The relay-magnet D has an armature, D', which is attached to a bent armature-lever, D2, pivoted at cl2, and provided with adjustable stops d3 d4. The extreme end 8o of the armature-lever D2 carries a metallic locking-bar, c5, which is insulated as regardsV the lever by insulating` material c, Figs. 4. and 5, and suchlocking-bar has atits ends projecting lugs c2 c3," which operate as contact-points, 8 5 as hereinafter explained. These lugs, when the armature-lever D2 is depressed, corne outside the free ends of the armature-levers A' A2, as shown in Figs. 3 to 5, andwhen DZ is raised the lugs clear the ends ot' A' A2, as 9o shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The free endof the armature-lever A' has a contact-button, 28, which is insulated by suitable material, 50, from its lever, and a like button, 27, is similarly arranged on the armature-lever A2. The button 9 5 28 is connected by wire 29 with binding-.post s3, andbutton 7 has a like wire connection, 26, with wire 17, which leads to one pole of re- The wire coils of elec- I lay-magnet D. Abranch wire, 18, leads from l this connection to the xed post d'.

The armature-lever A2 is connected'by wire 19 with binding-post-s3. The armature-lever A' has like connections by wire 10 with binding-post s2. The opposite pole of D is connected by wire 16 with post S5. Wires 5 and 6 connect the opposite poles of A with posts 'sl s6, and wires 23 and 24 connect the opposite poles of A3 with posts s' s. Posts s and s2are connected by wire 11, and posts s3 and s" by wire 20. Retractle springs s3, S9, and S10 secure the return motions of the armatures. The apparatus being thus connected, its condition as regards contacts and circuits, when rail-circuits are unbroken and no train or part of a train is on the section or block, will be substantially as represented in Fig. 1. A closed circuit exists through the signal-actuating magnets B' B, so as to hold the signals at safety." Thus, beginning at the right of Fig. 1, and from battery a, a continuously-closed circuit exists by wires 1 and 2, rails z z', and wires 3, 4, 5, and 6, through the coil of electro-magnet A, so as to excite the same and attract or draw over its armature-lever A', so as to make electrical contact at or near its free end with the contact-screw c, and this closes a circuit from the battery a' at the other end of the section through the signaling-magnet B at that end, by wires 7 8 9, post d, contact c, armature-lever A', Wires 10, 11, and 12, and rails z2 and wire 13. This has the effect of exciting the electro-magnet B, so as to hold at safety the signal actuated thereby. The first circuit thus described-namely, that through batterya and electro-magnet A-I will designate circuit No. l," and the other circuit described-nainely, that through battery a' and signaling-mag net B-m'ay be called circuit No. 2."

It may be explained here that the set-screw c acts both as a contact in closing circuit, as just stated, and also as a stop, as before stated, so as to prevent actual contact of the armature with the pole or poles of the magnet A. Also, the saine is true of the set-screw c'. Also, at the same time the closed circuit through bat tery a3, at the left-hand end of the block, will keep the electro-magnet A3 excited, so as to keep the armature-lever A2 over against the contact c. This circuit, which I will call No 3, is, bywires 21 and 25, rails z2- 23, and wires 12, 22, 23, and 24, through the coils o f A3. The contact at c thus made closes another circuit, which I will call No. 4, which circuit passes through the battery a2, and by wire 14 through the signaling-magnet B', and thence follows Wires 15 and 16 through the relay-magnet D, thence by wires 17 and 18, post cl',con tact c', armature-lever A2, wires 19, 20, and 3, to and along rail z and wire 30, back to the battery. This keeps the electro-magnet B' excited and holds its signal at safety," and also excites the relay-magnet D, so as to attract its armature or pole-piece D' and hold the free end of the armature-lever D2 in a raised position, so that the lugs c2 c3 will be held clear of the free ends of the armature-levers A' A2. This represents the normal condition of the apparatus. Now, when a trainapproaches from the right in the direction of the arrow w its rst effect is to short-circuit the circuit through battery a, orjcircuit No. 1, with the result of vdemagnetizimgz; the magnet-A `and allow its armature A', under the influence of the spring 89, to move over to the insulated' stop e and break the contact c, as shown in Fig. 2. This breaks circuit No. 2, or the circuit through battery et', which includes the electromagnet B, lets the corresponding signal come to danger l' under the effect of a weight or spring, and thereby protects this train as against a train approaching on the same track from an opposite direction. As soon as the forward end of the train entering at w passes the insulated point w' between the two sections shown, it short-circuits the left-hand section of track, or circuit No. 3, so as to cut out the electro-magnet A3 from the influence of its battery a3, and therefore allows its armature A2, under the influence of its spring S8, to break contact at c' and come over to the insulated stop e', as shown in Fig. 3. This breaks the circuit No. 4, which includes the relay-magnet D and the signal B', as a result of which the signal which is under the influence of B' gives the dan ger-signal and protects the rear of the train as against afollowing train, and they armature-lever D2 will drop down,.so that the two projecting lugs c2 and c3 will go outside the upper ends ofthe armature-levers A' and A2, as shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the rear of the train passes thepoint w' the circuit No. l through the rails z z' is restored, so as to excite the magnet A and attract its armature A. This makes a contact by button 28, as shown in the right side of Fig. 4. When the train passes off the left-hand section it restores the circuit IOO No. 3 through the track-railsz2z3, as the result of which the magnet A3 is excited, so as to attract its armature A2 and make contact by button 27, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 5. ThisV produces a circuit from the battery a2 by wire 14, magnet B', wires 15 and 16, through magnet D, thence by wires 17 and 26 through the button 27, and by lug c2 and bar c5 to the lug c3, but- IIO IIS

ton 28, wires 29, 20, and 3, and rails z and wire otherwise actuated by a train, or by a breaking of the circuit from accident or malice. This circuit through the bar c5, lugs c2 c3, and buttons 27 and 28 may be designated as "circuit No.5." Its office is to restore the apparatus to normal position. Thus it will be seen that a train running as described will to the extent IZO set forth be protected as against other trains, both in front and rear. If a train approaches from the left, as indicated by arrow w', its first effect, as its forward end passes theinsulatingpoint a: at the left, will be to short-circuit the No. 3 circuit, or the circuit throu ghV battery a3. This will demagnetize the electro-magnet A3 and release the armature-lever A2 and breakthe contact at c. Thus the circuit No. 4 through battery a2 and magnets B' and D will be broken, and the signal at B' will go to F danger7 under theinfiuence of a weight or sprin g, as is usual in such apparatus, and the train will be protected as against a train coming in the opposite direction, or from the right. When theforward` end of the train coming from the left passes the insulating-point x it will short-circuit the circuit through battery a, or No. 1 circuit, with the result of demagnetizing the magnet A, so as to release the armature-lever A', and by breaking the contact at c break the circuit No.

2 through battery a and signaling-magnet B,-

whereby the corresponding signal will go to danger77 and protect the rear ofthe train as against trains following. As soon as the rear of the moving train leaves section-R the circuit will be restored through battery a3, with the result of exciting electro-magnet A3 and drawing armature-lever A2 over till contactbutton 27 makes contact with lug c2. Also, as soon as the rear of the moving train passes olf section R the circuit through battery u will be restored, electro-magnet A will be excited, and armature-lever A will be drawn over till its button 28 will make contact with lug c3, Fig.5. This completes circuit No.5, with the result, as before, of raising the tail end of the armaturelever D2 and restoring the apparatus to normal position.

The organization thus described is designed particularly for single-track roads, and it is arranged so as to work automatically with trains going in either direction, so as to protect such trains, both as against trains in front` going in the opposite direction and trains fol-v lowing iu the rear. g

It will be observed that the maintenance normally of the signal-circuits Nos.-2 and 4 circuit governs the signaling-circuit at the opposite end. Also, the lugs c2 c3, in connection with buttons 27 28, perform the function of circuit-closers, and other known suitable forms of circuit-closers may be substituted therefor.

As regards each of the armature-levers A' A2,

the armature-lever D2 operates very much as anescapeinent or stop, preventing for a time the movement of oneor the other of said armature-levers, and, considering now the armaturelever D2 as an escapement-lever, it will be noticed that it is actuated by an electro-magnet, D, which at the moment of actuation is included in the 'same circuit as the signalingmagnet B', and that the normal circuit of Bl` is closed or restored by the release of the escapement; or, in other words, by the release of the esca-pement or stop, both electro-magnets are thrown ontoanothercircuit; and such` feature of construction I believe to be new with myself, and I include the same herein without limitation as to the use to which it is put.

ln a separate application filed herewith I have made provision for doing substantially the same work as is herein provided for without the use of a relay-magnet, as herein described, and the -following claims are limited accordingly.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. A block signaling apparatus having in combination a normally-closed track-circuit at each endot' the block, a signaling-circuit also 

